Crushing Chains
by heidilovesjuice
Summary: In 2153 a turian patrol discovers the human colony on Eden Prime. This leads to a different first contact war. In the aftermath of the First Contact War the Human Systems Alliance enters the Citadel Species as a Turian client race while Cerberus is founded under a different light: To crush the chains that enslaved Humanity.


Summary:

In 2153 a turian patrol discovers the human colony on Eden Prime. In the following war the Systems Alliance hold their foot until turian backup arrives. In the burning remnants of the colony, Hannah Shepard saves Jack Harpers life and both miraculously escape the deathtrap.

In the aftermath of the First Contact War the Human Systems Alliance enters the Citadel Species as a Turian client race while Cerberus is founded under a different light: To crush the chains that enslaved Humanity.

* * *

Prologue

2148

Humanity discovers a small cache of highly advanced Prothean technology hidden deep beneath the surface of Mars on the south polar region of Promethei Planum. Building on the remnants of this long extinct race, humans quickly explore the science of mass effect fields, leading to the development of faster than light travel and beginning detailed exploration of the Sol system.

2149

Following leads hidden in the Prothean data cache on Mars, scientists discover that Pluto's moon, Charon, is actually a mass relay. Once activated the Human Exploration Vessel discovers a linked relay Network that connects parts from all over the Galaxy.

2151

To defend its expanding territory, humanity begins constructing a massive military fleet and space station at Arcturus, the nexus of several key mass relays, even though they have yet to encounter another intelligent spacefaring race.

2152

A Colony is founded on the agrarian world Eden Prime in the Utopia System of the Exodus Cluster. Soon several Mega Corporations, including Jack Harper, start looking into business opportunity on the newfound Colony.

2153

A turian Patrol discovers the Human colony on Eden Prime and reports back to the Hierarchy. Seeing the opportunity of another client race the Turians decide to invade Eden Prime and deploy for the war.

Soon after the ships orbiting Eden Prime are slaughtered, the invasion starts and chaos breaks out all over the Colony and Jack Harpers finds himself suddenly in the center of a Warzone.

* * *

It should have been a short visit to check on his agricultural investments on Eden Prime, he thought. Looking at the burning Colony after the first bombing run Jack Harper knew what likely happened.

Humanity was not alone in the Universe. An intelligent Alien race had found their Colony and decided to have the first strike. Surely this alien races wants to eliminate Humanity before they would become a threat.

Mentally cursing that he lost several millions worth of assets with an immense growth potential in the next ten year Jack started to make a plan. He had to search after his assistant Emma O'Connell because finding a new competent assistant would be extremely hard. Then after he found her he would flee Eden Prime as fast as he could. If he did not find a vessel to escape he needed to find at least a good hiding spot to wait until the storm is gone because he wanted to live.

Jack Harper wasn't dead jet. And he would do everything to make sure he would stay that way.

He grabbed his satellite phone and started called his assistant. Hopefully the communication network was still alive. Mentally praying that his personal yacht was still working, Jack made his way back to his car. After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, his Phone finally stopped bleeping his confused assistant asked: "Jack is that you?"

"Yes it's me Emma. Where are you right now?"

"I'm at the office right now. I was just checking some production charts before the bombing started. You have to come Jack. Everything is destroyed and there is total chaos but I was able to save all valuable data."

"That's something I guess. Search for a safe place where you are and stay there. I'll pick you up. Don't hang up the call. I want to know what is happening on my way. And try to find out exactly what is going on."

"Ok. I'll do my best."

As he made it to the car, Jack started driving to the office. Luckily Emma was still alive and safe. As he was driving back to his company's office there was a second bombing run. Instantly he asked, "Emma u still here? What is going on?"

"There are alien spaceships landing at the spaceport. I think they are shutting down our way off the planet. Getting to your yacht might be difficult but I don't think there is another way off the planet."

"Shit" Jack cursed. They were faster than he anticipated. They would probably shut down all sorts of communication in a few minutes. She was right that his yacht might be the only way off the planet. This alien race proved to be extremely well organized. Obliterating the Fleet in Orbit, bombing down the colony, than starting a full invasion. "Emma… I'll be there in a few minutes" he said "We have to hurry. There will be a full space blockade set up in 2 hours to make sure no leave the planet."

Seconds later the phone went dead.

* * *

Arriving at the Office Jack saw human bodies lying on the streets and ruins. No one was alive. Most likely the bombing killed them. Finally as he made it to the office building, Emma was already waiting in its ruins.

"Thank god Jack. You made it. I don't think there is anyone else alive and still here." She said as she was giving Jack the data chip. "That's all on your Investments and your Corporation. I don't think there was anything else of value that could be saved."

"Thanks" Jack nodded. "We have to hurry. If we are not gone in 90 Minutes we most likely die here. Do you have a gun?"

"No. You know I don't carry a gun around." She answered.

"Let's hope mine will do its duty. Jump in."

They didn't spoke a word on their way to the hangar. Both were in deep thoughts about how to get out of this dead zone and what the next curse of action should be.

"We should leave the car here and walk to the hangar." Emma said. "They most likely finished setting up their base of operation at the spaceport and start searching for survivors and resistance."

Jack nodded as he stopped the car. That was the reason he loved Emma. Having a competent and trustworthy assistant was worth far more than he paid her. But she didn't need to know that.

"Okay 20 more minutes and we are gone. Make sure you destroy any trackable device. I don't want to die because they could somehow track our phones." He explained as he was broke his phone. "Also let's stay under cover as much as possible on our way there. I do not want any of their patrols find us."

* * *

As they both made their way through the ruins there was a deathly silence around that was only interrupted by the landing transport shuttles. Curious as he was, Jack wanted to see one of those aliens. But it was probably the safest if they made it his personal hangar, start his ship and make it to the relay without any sort of contact. He didn't thought that it was likely that the aliens would follow him through the relay because they don't know what awaits them on the other side.

As they approached the ruins of the hangar Jack suddenly stopped as he saw a squad of aliens with what it looked like a prisoner. They looked to be guarding his intact looking vessel. He then went into cover and continued observing the situation from afar. Apparently they were guarding the hangar with one alien guarding the woman with fiery hair. She was kneeling there with both hands at the neck in front of her guard. Jack didn't spot some sort off handcuffs so the guard was closely paying attention to what she was doing. By the look of it she was some sort of intelligence officer for the Systems Alliance. The other four aliens looked to be in some sort of discussion. Most likely about what to do with the woman. These aliens looked humanoid while they resembled both dinosaurs and birds. They also appeared to be taller than the average human male. Luckily they weren't wearing some kind of helmet that would protect them. But with their statue a helm would probably only hinder them. Not wasting any more thought on those aliens Jack started considering his options about what to do next.

"Hmm… how to get past them? I think we have to kill them. They won't leave the area and there is a strong possibility that they might ask for backup to deal with that prisoner." Emma thought out loud, interrupting Jacks thoughts.

"I guess you're right" Jack agreed. "I think we have to approach them and kill them as fast as possible. If we can use that woman as distraction we might be able to overcome the odds. Try to grab a gun if you can. And since we don't know how strong their armor is. Shot them in the Head if possible."

As they slowly approached the aliens Jack and Emma started listening to their conversation. Not that they understand anything but by the sound of it they were heavily discussing something. ´Good that they don't expect us´ Jack thought. The risk in ambushing these aliens was really high. After the first shot they would know he was there and after the second one they would most likely know his location. If he could not kill 3 of those aliens right in an instant they would most likely end up surrounded and then dead.

Arriving at the best wall to shot both groups Jack pulled out his Pistol while Emma stayed behind him. Jack aimed for the head of the guard taking another look at what the rest was doing. They were still busy discussing something. Right after he slowly took the last slow breath everything went quick. Jacks first gunshot hit the prisoners guard straight in the head while he turned left firing four more quick shots at the aliens deadly injuring one plus killing their squad leader with a headshot.

Having two more shots left Jack went into cover hoping that the woman knew what to do. It was up to her. The aliens knew he was here now. And one would presumably go after him whereas the other one would look after what happened to the prisoner.

About 20 Seconds later there were two more gunshots. Hoping the Alliance Soldier won the firefight Jack slowly turned around to check the other side of his cover. What he didn't expect was the fact that alien already made it around the corner with his assault rifle aimed at his chest. Quickly thinking about how to get out of this mess he got an Idea. Since the alien hadn't shot het yet it would probably stay that way unless he did something stupid. With Emma still hidden behind her cover he might be able to pull off a fancy trick. Knowing this he dropped the gun, kicked it into the direction where Emma was hiding, knelt down and put his hands above his head awaiting her reaction.

He did not have to wait long. Only seconds later Emma jumped out of her cover and instantly grabbed the gun to quickly fire two times but it didn't matter. Both times she missed. As a response the alien turned around a bit and fired several shots at Emma hitting her multiple times in her chest and head. ´Fuck´ was all Jack thought before he felt a piercing pain in his left side. The alien hit him but he was not dead yet. Biting his lip Jack jumped up and started running at the alien. He was dead anyway so why not try to take one more of them with him. While running another shot pierced his chest and then another and another. But as he was ramming the alien's chest the alien was slightly stumbling… or it looked like it. In the end the alien retrieved his balance and kicked him away.

´Emma is dead and I will follow. I always thought I would die in a different way… at least not in any heroic manner.´ Jack thought as he closed his eyes awaiting his fate. The alien was going to aim for his head. ´Well… he doesn't leave me here to myself slowly dying cause of blood loss.´ People say in the seconds before you die seconds feel like hours. They are so right… the regret was killing him. Things he never would have, an heir, something meaningful appeared in front of his eyes as he was awaiting his death.

Then… suddenly he heard another two bangs as he was slowly losing his consciousness…

* * *

"Hey wake up. You're not done yet are you?" he heard the woman questioning him as his eyes shot open.

The alien was dead, he was alive. He would live. There would be no regret anymore. He would achieve something that he would be proud of.

"Yes" Jack coughs.

"Okay… first we have to stop the bleeding. Then we take the ship here and leave this hellhole." She said as she was taking off her jacket binding it around Jacks chest before she was lifting him up.

Arriving at his spaceship, Jack instantly identified himself so that they both could enter.

Right after entering the ship, the woman went instantly to look for medical supplies. "No time" was all he could say before he started stumbling towards the cockpit. He hat to initiate the starting sequence before they could look to treat his wounds.

"Let me help you" she said while moving towards Jack. Then the woman started helping him move towards the console in the cockpit.

Once he arrived at the console he instantly went looking for the starting sequence and then the autopilot. They would leave the orbit as fast as possible, head to the relay and be gone. But before that, they had to treat his gunshot wounds. Lying down right next to his cockpit chair he saw the red haired woman grab some medical supplies before she went back to him. Seconds later everything went black.

Sometime later Jacks eyes shot open again seeing the Alliance Officer in front of him.

"Slow… slow. You just survived an alien Invasion." was all she said.

´So it was not all a dream.´ Jack mentally cursed. Finding a suitable replacement for Emma would be difficult. "Where are we?" he asked.

"Just jumped the relay an hour ago. Not a single ship followed us. Hannah Shepard by the way." she answered.

"Jack Harper"

* * *

Authors Note:

First things first: Thanks for reading.

I'm so glad that finally started writing the fanfiction I always wanted to write. Having a Cerberus renegade Shepard with a loyalty that leaves no doubt, power hungry aliens and an incompetent System Alliance is something I always missed. This setup leads to a somewhat darker story that hopefully is something exciting.

Anyway I hope you like it. Since this is my first try writing some kind of fictional story I'd really appreciate any form of criticism. Positive or Negative.

I also want to mention that I am not a native speaker so any sort of advice about the use of words would be great.


End file.
